


The Lonely Angel

by VeetVoojagig



Series: After Life [6]
Category: Mass Effect Trilogy
Genre: Fantasizing, M/M, Pining, Sexual Fantasy, god damn it shep we're calibrating in here
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-08
Updated: 2020-07-08
Packaged: 2021-03-05 05:20:25
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,694
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25149091
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/VeetVoojagig/pseuds/VeetVoojagig
Summary: The continuing adventures of Archangel and his poledancer boyfriend, Jimmy Vega (check out the rest of the series)Garrus misses his human very much. Very, very much.
Relationships: Garrus Vakarian/James Vega
Series: After Life [6]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/185696
Comments: 8
Kudos: 12





	The Lonely Angel

**Author's Note:**

> Since it's been, ah, *coughs* *checks notes* five years since I last updated this series, I feel I owe everyone an apology. I'm glad I had a sudden urge to reread and got ideas, even if it meant scrapping the half written story I'd abandoned back in the day. I hope to keep this going for a little while!

Numbers rolling by on the terminal blurred, no longer the most important thing his mind could focus on. He pulled his fingers away from the keys and gripped the sides of the console with a rough exhale of breath. No one wanted someone distracted playing around with the controls of a Thanix Cannon, he had enough presence of mind to realize that. The larger part of his brain surrendered to the pulsing beat of the club, the memory of a lithe, muscular body sliding along that pole in defiance of physics. 

His mandibles twitched. That was good, yes, but… mmm. He could do better. He turned his head slightly, letting his eyes drift over the torpedo bay. Mm, yes. Jimmy could lean right _there_ , his clothes abandoned on the floor of the battery. That smirk on his face, the one that had first reminded him of Shepard but now seemed wholly Jimmy, the ink markings that some humans favored accenting his neck and chest. He gathered that Jimmy was attractive for his species, but that didn’t really matter. He was just… Jimmy. Everything about him made Garrus weak. 

“Hey, Galahad,” his vision purred, “c’mon.” 

He looked down Jimmy’s body to see his hand curled around his engorged human genitalia, and he was hoping he remembered correctly what that looked like because it really was weird, but it still made him breathe more heavily and made his plates start to slide apart. Jimmy leaned back farther, his legs opening invitingly, his eyes begging for it, and Garrus stifled a groan. His hand fumbled with one of the catches on his armor, desperate to relieve some of the building pressure. 

"Hey, Garrus, got a minute?"

He choked back a noise and hastily flipped that clasp shut again. "Can it wait a bit?" he asked, his voice rough. "I'm in the middle of some calibrations." He looked back over his shoulder at Commander Shepard and randomly tapped some keys on the terminal, hoping he wouldn't have to do too much repair work later. Even so, it was worth it if it kept his cover. 

His mandibles were flared more than normal, but he hoped Shepard wouldn't notice. Everything else was hidden behind his armor. The dampness permeating his bodysuit, the way it pressed uncomfortably where he was slipping out from between his plates--as uncomfortable as it was, at least Shepard didn't know. 

"We're heading to Omega to get some black market engine parts for Donnelly, want to come along? Might run into more mercs to shoot, and I wouldn't want you to miss out." Shepard grinned easily and leaned against a railing. "It'll be a while before we get there, so plenty of time for your calibrations."

"Aheh. Yes. Of course." His fists clenched. _Omega._ He forced himself to take a deep breath as he turned and looked at Shepard. This wasn’t, ah, what was the human phrase, a _booty call_ , it was a mission, even if a relatively simple one. “I’ll be ready,” he said with a sharp nod.

“I’ll leave you to it, then.” Shepard waved a hand and strolled casually out of the battery. 

Garrus stared after him for a long moment before scratching the base of his crest with his gloved talons. Spirits, he needed to change his clothes. 

Trailing through the back alley markets after Shepard was more difficult than he anticipated, especially as he started recognizing landmarks that meant they were growing close to Jimmy’s apartment. He found his fingers tapping impatiently on the counter as the commander made bargains. Also as he glanced through a Batarian pornography magazine. At that point Garrus decided that they were probably done with the mission and cleared his throat. “I’m going to step out for a second, I’ll catch up,” he said, and Shepard nodded absently, more interested in whatever grotesqueries were displayed than anything Garrus said. 

He shook his head and walked away. Shepard would be fine, he had backup. All he was going to do was check to see if Jimmy’s security upgrade had been installed correctly, he told himself. And, well, he could take a moment to check to see if Jimmy had programmed it with his code. Just find out if he was welcome. 

He turned the corner to the correct hallway and swallowed. Maybe he shouldn’t. Just keep his illusions. If he found out that he was locked out… That would be worse than death. He could just keep not knowing. But he was so close. He took one deliberate step forward, then another, carefully edging his way towards Jimmy’s home. 

There. He stood in front of the door, breathing slowly. Okay. First things first. He pulled up his Omni-tool and scanned quickly. Looked good, he couldn’t hack his way in there. Tali maybe could, but she was, well, Tali. So, yeah. The only way he was getting in was the code. Hopefully he hadn’t shot himself in the testicles with this stunt he’d pulled. 

His talons were trembling as he reached for the keypad and slowly typed in the numbers. There was a moment of absolute silence that made his heart pound before the keypad gave a little beep and the door slid open. 

Relief flooded him and he stumbled inside. A quick glance around was all he needed to tell him Jimmy wasn’t there. He hadn’t expected him, this time of the day he’d probably be working. Maybe he should slip out to catch his show…

No. Too dangerous. He wouldn’t be able to control himself. He sighed and sank onto the couch, putting his head in his hands. What was he doing? What was he hoping to accomplish sitting in an empty apartment? 

Making sure Jimmy was all right. He raised his head again, mandibles setting firmly. He was checking to make sure someone he cared about--however ill-advised that was--was doing well. Calmly, rationally, he had to examine Jimmy’s space and see if it told him anything. 

Well, for starters, there were much fewer empty alcohol bottles littered around the room than last time he’d stopped in, he noticed as he pulled himself from the couch. That was a good sign. He picked two beer bottles off the floor and tossed them into the trash chute. The kitchen area wasn't completely spotless, but the amount of dirty dishes and clutter looked manageable. So, not drinking to excess and also feeding and cleaning after himself to some extent at least. Garrus let out a breath. Good. 

He couldn't help but take a quick look into Jimmy's bedroom. He tried not to think about their bodies entwined in that bed. There was more clutter in there, but it all seemed to be Jimmy's. He hadn't realized he'd been concerned until that moment. But if he'd taken another lover, how would Garrus know? 

Calm down, he told himself. He sat carefully on the edge of Jimmy's bed. Jimmy had let him in. He was welcome. Even if he had another lover, Garrus was still invited in. They'd shared one night, he didn't have that kind of claim over the man. Not yet. And from what he could tell based on the people gathered around his stage at the club, Jimmy was highly desirable for a human. Why should he expect anything from him?

His hand brushed slowly over Jimmy's pillow. He'd be here later, sleeping. If only Garrus could be with him.

He'd better get back before Shepard missed him. He reluctantly pulled himself to his feet and moved out of the bedroom. He was reaching for the control panel of the door to let himself out when he noticed a precariously mounted shelf hooked to the wall just short of eye level. It was scattered with random items, shot glasses with the Afterlife logo, some human iconography, possibly religious in nature, and… that bottle of turian brandy he’d found last time. The level was untouched since he’d taken a couple sips, and there was a datapad propped against it. He hesitantly reached for it, and decided that he could use a drink before he saw what was inside.

Datapad in one hand and brandy in the other, he dropped onto the couch once more. He popped open the bottle and took a long gulp before tapping to turn on the pad’s screen. 

_Galahad,_ read the note that popped up, so yes, it was for him. His heartbeat quickened. 

_Galahad,  
You_ [and here it dissolved into some of that human dialect that Jimmy sometimes used and Garrus didn’t understand for a few words] _If you’re reading this keep your damn ass put until I get back. I thought you were dead, you son of a bitch. Haven’t gotten laid since I saw you last and I’m so fucking horny for you, fuck._

That made Garrus choke and his mandibles flare in a mix of embarrassment and arousal. How could he… But Jimmy’d been forward from the start, he shouldn’t expect different. Why would he wait if he was so, ah, lonely, though? Especially when he’d thought Garrus was dead? He shook his head and continued to try to focus on the message.

_And look, put your liquor on the shelf so I won’t do a stupid death blah blah there you go. Okay? Please, just stay. I need to see you._

_Your Jimmy_

Oh, Spirits. He rubbed the base of his crest despondently. Why did he keep doing this to himself? And to Jimmy? He couldn’t stay. He had his duties. He should just leave the man alone to get on with his life and stop torturing himself. Maybe if he put everything back carefully Jimmy wouldn’t know he’d come, and wouldn’t be hurt. He found himself drinking from the bottle again and gave a sigh. Well, maybe he wouldn’t look too closely. 

He set his mandibles firmly and stood. Everything back exactly where it was. 

A whirring noise caught his attention and he dropped the datapad, hand going for the rifle on his back and leveling it just as the door slid open and he found himself staring into the startled eyes of Jimmy Vega.


End file.
